Colne cruise to win over Euxton

Colne's new man Matty Beadle gets off the mark in the pre-season win over Euxton Villa

Published:14:57Friday 22 July 2016

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Steve Cunningham’s Reds continued their preparations for life in the Evo-Stik League with victory over Euxton Villa thanks to goals from Ben Wharton, Dom Craig and Matty Beadle.

The North West Counties Premier Division champions attacked from the start and Kenny Taylor saw his close range shot saved by the keeper’s feet after only four minutes of the game.

Two minutes later, Colne took the lead when Wharton out-jumped the keeper to head home Beadle’s cross from the bye-line.

Within minutes, Colne keeper Tom Turner was in action as he too saved a close range shot with his feet.

But Colne were clearly in the ascendancy as Chris Anderson and Craig opened up the home defence.

Danny Morton pushed forward on the right at every opportunity and created Colne’s second goal after 19 minutes with his cross for Wharton to fire home at the far post.

As the second half began, Turner again made a good save to keep out the home attack but as the Reds looked for a third goal, Wharton saw his angled shot hit the near post as he forced his way into the area.

After 51 minutes, the ball was worked across the area to Craig on the right who found the net with a well struck shot past the keeper to stretch Colne’s lead to 3-0.

The Reds pressed forward and forced a series of corners but it was Euxton who scored the next goal when Connor Gronback broke clear and rounded Turner before slotting home from an angle after 70 minutes.

In the end-to- end play that followed, Euxton threatened to reduce the arrears further with some good attacks but the Colne defence stood firm and Turner was in good form in goal.

At the other end, Beadle worked hard in his search for his first goal for the Reds and was unlucky with a header into the side netting following a corner in the closing stages.

He got on the scoresheet in the final minute, though, when Taylor’s run into the area gave Beadle the chance to fire home from close range to round off the scoring at 4-1.

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